


Being an Elf in Kirkwall

by phoenixquest



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/F, in-game slur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 08:10:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4340807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixquest/pseuds/phoenixquest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merrill has become accustomed to being called a knife-ear - even if no one else notices. After a talk with Isabela, the rogue does notice - and the man who said it regrets it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being an Elf in Kirkwall

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't get this idea out of my head. I think Isabela would be very, very protective of Merrill (especially if they're in a relationship). I hope you like it :)

The first time Merrill heard the phrase, it didn’t bother her; she didn’t even know what it meant.

The second time, she’d been with Bethany; the other mage had explained to her that it was rude, that only awful people said it. “Just ignore them,” Bethany had said firmly. “You’re better than they are, anyway.”

The third time blended into the fourth, then the fifth, and then she finally lost count. It wasn’t heard so often in the alienage, not unless a human came around for the pleasure of taunting the elves. They mostly ignored those people. When Merrill went out with Hawke and his friends, though, it was nearly constant.

“Dirty knife-ear.”

“Damn knife-ears, hanging around us like they belong.”

The comments weren’t directed at just her; Fenris got them, too. No one else in the group ever seemed to hear it, but Merrill could see Fenris tense just the slightest bit whenever it was said. She did, too. It hadn’t taken long to start feeling that little jolt in her stomach every time she heard it, the feeling of shame.

_Knife-ear. Lesser than. Different._

_Knife-ear. Lowly elf. Bad._

The years passed, and she grew closer and closer to Isabela. It became easier to ignore the slurs muttered at her when the rogue was around; after all, _Isabela_ certainly didn’t think her any lesser.

Her curiosity got the best of her one day, though, when she was spending time with the rogue at The Hanged Man. 

“Isabela,” she spoke up seriously, making Isabela look up from the thing she was reading. Merrill was pretty sure it was another of Varric’s friend-fiction stories.

“Hmm?” Isabela asked, smiling at her.

“Does it bother you to be seen with an elf?” She felt stupid almost immediately after asking; it was _Isabela_ , after all. Hardly anything bothered her. The rogue frowned, staring hard at her.

“What in the world would make you ask _that_ , kitten?” Isabela asked. “Of course it doesn’t _bother_ me. Why should it?”

“Well,” Merrill said, cheeks reddening, “it’s just that I hear the things people say, and I know they look down on me for being…out, sometimes, you know, with you, or Hawke, or Varric. And sometimes Fenris, too. They say ‘knife-ears’ shouldn’t be hanging around with _normal_ people, you see, and – “

“ _Who_ has called you a knife-ear?” Isabela demanded, face hardening at once. “When was this?”

“Well…all the time,” Merrill said, rather wishing she hadn’t brought it up. It sounded so _silly_ , after all. “Lots of people do it. You haven’t heard them?” Isabela paused, looking shocked.

“You hear it all the time?” Isabela finally asked. “What about when I’m with you?”

“Er – yes,” Merrill said, puzzled. “Didn’t you know?”

“No,” Isabela admitted. “I’ve…never heard it.”

“I did wonder about that,” Merrill said. “No one else ever reacted at all.”

“Well,” Isabela said firmly, “the best thing you can do is just ignore them, kitten. They’re idiots, the lot of them. I’m _not_ ashamed of you, and neither is anyone else.” Merrill smiled at her gratefully.

*****

The last time she heard it – the last time anyone in Kirkwall was brave enough to say it near her – was walking through Hightown with Hawke, Anders, and Isabela.

“Ugh, another knife-ear in Hightown,” a man sneered, just as quietly as they always did. Merrill heard him and tensed up for a moment as always, waiting for the awful feeling to pass, but this time, she wasn’t the only one to notice him.

“Excuse me?” Isabela snapped in a carrying voice, whirling to face the man. “ _What_ did you call her?”

“She’s a bloody knife-ear,” the man said, though he looked a bit wary.

“That’s what I thought you said,” Isabela said, her voice calm but deadly. There was a steely glint in her eyes as she suddenly had a dagger thrust at the man’s throat; no one had even seen her move. “Let’s make a deal, you and me,” she purred maliciously, smirking at the fear in his eyes. “ _You_ never utter that word again, particularly not to my friend here, and _I’ll_ leave your head attached to your body. How does that sound?” Merrill was frozen in place; she’d never expected anyone to stand up for her at all, let alone like this.

“Er – ah – yeah, all right,” the man stammered, terrified.

“ _And_ you’ll apologize,” Isabela said coolly.

“I – but – ah!” The man started to protest, but a flick of the rogue’s dagger left a small cut on his chin. “All right, all right! I’m sorry!”

“What do you say, kitten?” Isabela asked, smirking at Merrill. “Satisfied?”

“I – yes,” Merrill stammered. “That’s – it’s – fine. Thank you!” She was so bewildered that she didn’t quite know what to say.

“You’re lucky _she’s_ a sweetheart,” Isabela told the man, putting her dagger back in place on her back. “You ever call her that again, you _won’t_ get off with a warning.” As soon as the man seemed sure Isabela was through with him, he took off running. The rogue chuckled, turning to Merrill and putting an arm around her. “They scare so easily.”

“Well, that was new,” Hawke frowned, staring at Isabela. “I didn’t even hear him say anything. I’m sorry, Merrill.”

“Don’t be,” Merrill spoke up. “It’s – it’s all right.”

“Don’t worry, Hawke,” Isabela winked at him. “I’ll look out for her.”

“Shall we keep going, then?” Anders asked. “Hawke’s supposed to meet Aveline in five minutes.”

“We’ll catch up,” Isabela smiled, waving Hawke and Anders off. They walked away, and Isabela turned her attention to Merrill. “Everything all right, kitten? He didn’t get to you, did he?”

“No – not really,” Merrill said, looking up at Isabela with something like awe in her gaze. “I…can’t believe you did that. For me.”

“I should’ve done it a long time ago,” Isabela said, gently squeezing the small elf. “I’m sorry I never noticed before.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” Merrill said feelingly. She knew those people were being rude, and she tried not to take it to heart, but having someone – especially someone like Isabela – stand up for her was close to overwhelming. “Thank you so much, Isabela.”

“I love the way you say my name, kitten,” Isabela grinned, pulling the elf into an embrace. She leaned down to kiss Merrill softly. “And you’re welcome. Anytime.”


End file.
